Online classes may be very short. Some of the classes I teach take only five weeks to complete. Because of this, some students may not even begin to grasp to all expectations until the course nears completion. To avoid this, students need to spend their first few days of class finding out exactly what the instructor requires of them.
I teach many courses where students submit their first paper without meeting the assigned criteria. I do my best to post extra announcements and guidance in class. However, many students overlook these postings. They may have become used to how the last instructor required things and assume that they should just do the same thing in every course. It does not always work that way. Students should look at any feedback that they receive from instructors to determine what changes need to be made for future assignments.
It is important to realize that each instructor is different. They all have their unique expectations. Schools often post rubrics or guidelines for how papers should be written. However, these rubrics don’t always account for everything. Some things are subjective. Students need to realize that what worked for the last instructor may not work for the next one. Online learning and traditional learning both share this same need for adjustment. The biggest difference is that the online courses are usually shorter and students must adjust more quickly.
Students are not the only ones who may become frustrated by each new class. Instructors may also have some adjustments to make. We don’t always teach the same exact course. I have included a list of the courses I teach on my About Dr. Diane Page. As you can see, I teach quite a few. I teach for many different schools. What may be frustrating for professors is that sometimes courses within the same school may be set up differently. Many schools have made changes recently to improve the consistency of curriculum. It helps when all courses look the same and all courses have rubrics.
Even when the courses all look similar and rubrics are included, there may be some tweaking that professors feel are necessary. For example, my expectations of a graduate student would be different for that of an undergraduate student. At the graduate level, students should be able to cite, write in complete paragraphs, and have a well-constructed paper that includes an introduction and conclusion. I may not expect that of my first-year undergraduate students. Sometimes the rubric does not go into enough detail to explain these requirements. That is why I post extra guidelines within my courses.
Students should take the first day of class to research all faculty expectations. They should not make the mistake of assuming that each class or instructor will be exactly like the last one. Professors and courses all have their unique requirements. The savvy online student will be proactive and do some research before submitting their first paper. If there are any ambiguities regarding the assignments or expectations, students should contact the instructor to request more detail.
